The craft group ladies with the PLA's Jason Carter, who is modelling their work (click on image to enlarge)

The craft group of local charity, EllenorLions Hospices, has raised £1,000 by helping out the Port of London Authority (PLA), which needed new badges stitching on their work clothing.

The craft group is aiming to raise £10,000 this year to help pay for the time of ‘half a nurse’, essential for the charity’s growing hospice at home service. The group had already raised £400, so the PLA’s donation takes their total funds raised in just two months to £1,400.

Janet Callaby, of the craft group said:

"The request from the PLA was really unusual, but we’ve enjoyed the challenge they set us. Myself and Joan Rodgers spent three days on site and the larger group spent more time working together preparing and sewing on the badges. By now we’ve done at least 300 badges and I know there’s a bit more to do; we’re looking forward to going back!”

The PLA needed the badges stitched on clothing after the organisation adopted a new logo towards the end of last year.

PLA corporate affairs director, Alistair Gale, explained:

“Any organisation changing to a new logo has to keep the cost of making the change to a minimum. Many of our staff had PLA-branded clothing that was as good as new. The work done by the ladies from the craft group has saved us the environmental and cost impact of simply throwing those clothes away. They’ve worked really hard on our behalf and we’ve loved having them around.”

Ellenorlions Hospices is one of the very few hospices in the UK to care for adults and children. Their world-leading adult service cares for 2,500 people each year, at their bedded hospice in Northfleet and in patients’ own homes throughout Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley.

Their children’s service chYps is Kent’s longest established children’s hospice. It is also the first in the country to provide oncology and hospice care in the home, enabling families to stay together in the comfort and security of familiar surroundings. chYps has an on-going case load of more than 100 children and young people across West Kent.

EllenorLions Hospices services cost about £4.8 million a year, but are free of charge to patients. The vast majority of their money is raised by the local community.